Order : CETARTIODACTYLA
Family : Bovidae
Species : Capricornis sumatraensis

Shoulder Height : up to 94 cm
Head-body Length : up to 155 cm
Tail : up to 16 cm
Weight : up to 140 kg

The Southern Serow, or Sumatran Serow, is the southernmost of the 3 species of serow currently recognised: it inhabits steep, forested slopes in southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia (mainly the northern and central states, but with isolated populations further south) and parts of Sumatra (Barisan Mountains). It is recorded at elevations of up to 3000 metres.

This rarely seen mammal is considered to be diurnal in habits, and is mainly solitary, although small groups have been recorded. It browses on a variety of vegetation.

Its fur is dark grey to black, but this may be greyish in juveniles. Older animals develop a mane of long hairs along the back, which may be greyish, buff or reddish. Its horns are short and pointed, and its ears are relatively large.

This species is categorised by IUCN (Duckworth et al, 2008) as Vulnerable. It is hunted for bush meat, and its horns and other body parts are used in traditional medicine. Indiscriminant trapping with wire snares and habitat loss, due to logging and quarrying, are also significant threats to this species. 

Figs 1 and 2 : Two images of the same individual, which regularly emerges from forest-edge habitat at Fraser's Hill, Peninsular Malaysia, at an elevation of 1300 metres.

Fig 3 : A Sumatran Serow (bottom left) gazes across mountainous landscape at Fraser's Hill, Peninsular Malaysia, whilst warming itself in the sun.

All photos thanks to John Weston


References :

Duckworth, J.W., Steinmetz, R. & MacKinnon, J. 2008. Capricornis sumatraensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008: e.T3812A10099434.

Francis, C.M. 2019. A Field Guide to the Mammals of South-east Asia. Second Edition. New Holland. 416 pp.